Jerome Champagne announces bid to run for FIFA President

Mahak Mannan 15:40 21/01/2014
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  • Re-balance the game: Jerome Champagne is championing the introduction of the orange card.

    Frenchman Jerome Champagne put an end to months of speculation by declaring his bid to succeed Sepp Blatter as the FIFA President on Monday.

    UEFA President Michel Platini is also a possible candidate for the presidential elections which will be held in June 2015, although he has not stated any intentions to do so. Blatter is expected to run for his fifth term as well.

    Champagne, a former diplomat, worked at FIFA for 11 years and is a past Deputy Secretary General of the governing body. Since leaving FIFA in 2010 he has serving as a football consultant for countries such as Kosovo, Palestine, Israel and Cyrus.

    Nevertheless, Champagne has a set agenda of the changes he would like to see in modern football and is ready to debate for implementing those rules.

    His Election slogans are “Hope for Football, Hope for All” and “Re-Balance the Game in a Globalised 21 Century” which he says highlight the message of limiting power of Football in the hands of Elite clubs from Europe’s richest leagues.

    Among the key changes Champagne would like to see in modern football, it is the fact that more planning and technology should be used in making key decisions during the game that tops his list.

    Champagne suggests that like in the game of rugby, only the captain should have the authority to speak with the referee.

    Quoted from Champagne’s document –‘Contribution to the debate on FIFA and Football’ released in 2013: “More Often than ever, matches are being marred by unacceptable scenes of players surrounding and haranguing the referee.”

    He also mentions that there should be a rule to allow the ball to be placed 10 yards further forward whenever the decision for a free kick is disputed.

    Champagne has suggested the implementation of orange cards as well that would allow the referees to put a player out for a couple of minutes.

    George Courtney, the former football referee, agreed that this could be a good idea, saying: “It would have to be under the right criteria but I think the time has come to seriously consider this."

    Finally, abolishing the double punishment in the penalty area which leads to the player who prevents goal scoring opportunities, being sent-off and conceding a penalty is also on Champagne’s to-do list.

    Speaking to reporters, Champagne said: “We need to redress the imbalances in the world game, we need to make FIFA’s executive committee more democratic and transparent, we need to introduce technology to assist the referee and his assistants and we need to better handle the globalization of the sport.

    “At the very least, I want to open up the debate so these issues are examined properly."

    However, Champagne is not sure if he will come out victorious in the presidential campaign if the three times re-elected Blatter decides to run again

    “I don’t think I could beat him, he is someone of relevance,” said Champagne. “I don’t know whether Mr. Blatter will run or not, of course as a matter of politeness I informed him what I was planning to do."

    With Champagne being one of the first to announce his intentions to run for the president, the rest of the possible candidates are yet to confirm their place in the battle to be the head of the world’s most richest and influential sport.

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